In an effort to halt his team’s poor start to the 2013/2014 season, Caledonia AIA coach Jamaal Shabazz has vowed to return his team to its possession style of football.
Previously famed by its attractive and possession styled brand of football, which ultimately led to multi-successful seasons in 2011-12 and 2012-13, Caledonia AIA failed to hit the ground running this season and only won its first match of the season in all competitions, on Saturday, 4–1 over San Juan Jabloteh at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya.
Prior to that, the Morvant/Laventille-based outfit had gone winless in nine matches combined in the CONCACAF Champions League, First Citizens Cup and Digicel T&T Pro League.
Speaking after the win, Shabazz said it was quite a relief but was quick to note that it will still be a big challenge for his club going forward.
A former Guyana and T&T national coach, Shabazz said, “We have not handled well, being the team that everybody wants to beat. Because being the top team in the last two years have been something new to us.”
The two previous seasons (2011-12 & 2012-13) saw Caledonia hoist the T&T Football Association FA Trophy twice (2011-12 & 2012-13), the First Citizens Cup twice (2011 & 2012), the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Championship (2012), the Lucozade Sport Goal Shield (2012), and consecutive qualification to the CONCACAF Champions League group stage while it finished runners-up in the League.
However, this season Caledonia kicked off with the Champions League group stage, losing all four matches against Group Six opponents Deportivo Toluca of Mexico and Guatemala’s CSD Comunicaciones.
Caledonia also suffered defeat in its opening domestic league fixture, going under 3–0 against North East Stars and followed with drawn results against Central FC (0–0) and Police FC (1–1).
The team’s fourth league match ended in 3–2 in favour of Defence Force, the same team that ousted them 1–0 in the quarterfinal round of the First Citizens Cup this season.
Tomorrow, Caledonia faces St Ann’s Rangers at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva from 6 pm in the Digicel Pro League and coming off last weekend’s win over Jabloteh, Shabazz naturally wants consistency.
“We are looking for consistency,” he said. “Both Rangers and us use the same (Hasely Crawford Stadium) training ground. They are no secret to us and we are no secret to them. We always have combative games against Rangers. We want to remain positive and continue to plough our way back into this league and into the hearts of our die-hard fans.”
However, Shabazz wants the results to come via the club’s signature style of play.
“It’s more important for me at this stage, for us to go back with our possession build-up plays and performing well, and let the results come, rather than worry about winning or losing,” he said.
Presently, Caledonia are sixth positioned at sixth with just five points—ten points away from leader DIRECTV W Connection (15 points)—however Shabazz isn’t dismissing his team’s chances at the League title just yet.
He said, “The season still has a long way to go.”
Tomorrow’s second match at Couva features Jabloteh against Point Fortin Civic FC from 8 pm, while at the Marvin Lee Stadium in Macoya, Police plays Defence Force from 6 pm, and North East Stars tackles Central FC from 8 pm. W Connection which has maximum 15 points, six ahead of Pt Fortin is on a bye.
Friday Matches
Ato Boldon Stadium
St Ann’s Rangers vs Caledonia AIA, 6 pm
San Juan Jabloteh vs Point Fortin Civic FC, 8 pm
Marvin Lee Stadium
Police FC vs Defence Force, 6 pm
North East Stars vs Central FC, 8 pm